Messi misses Miami defeat after death of father
Lionel Messi misses Inter Miami's Leagues Cup defeat by Monterrey on Saturday night after the death of his father.
In Miami's recent Leagues Cup match against Monterrey, Lionel Messi was absent due to the passing of his father, Jorge. Jorge, who served as the Argentina forward's agent since he was 14, had been battling a long illness and passed away at the age of 68 in a hospital in Rosario, Argentina. The Inter Miami team honored Messi's father by observing a minute's silence before the match and asking players to wear black armbands.
Jorge's name was displayed on the big screens at Nu Stadium and the club's social media profile pictures featured a black ribbon. The club expressed its sympathies in a statement, saying their hearts were with Messi and his family during this difficult time. Team-mates and fans across Argentina paid tribute to the late Jorge with periods of silence before their matches and by displaying handmade signs offering support.
Inter Miami striker Luis Suarez, who missed the game due to suspension, shared a message on Instagram expressing his support for Messi and his father. Barcelona, Messi's former club, also paid respects with a moment of silence before their friendly win against Nottingham Forest in Italy. Argentine giants Boca Juniors and River Plate held periods of silence before their respective games.
The Argentine Football Association expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with Messi's family, sending warm embraces in this difficult period. Paris St-Germain, where Messi played between 2021 and 2023, sent full support to Messi, his family, and loved ones during this painful ordeal, wishing him peace.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
